"He who passively accepts evil is as much involved
in it as he who helps to perpetrate it. He who accepts evil without protesting
against it is really cooperating with it." ~ Martin Luther King Jr.
On this official celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King’s
birthday, I am happy to report that protests are alive and well. As my teen
years were spent in the 60’s, I am well versed in the art of protests. I
marched against the Vietnam War, for the Civil Rights Movement and for the
Grape Bycott by the Migrant Farmwokers. I participated in protests in my school
for more student representaion and a demonstration or two.
I come by it honestly. My father was a Democratic
Committeeman in the 23rd division of the 61st ward. He
had no end of opinions about what was going on in the world and encouraged us
kids to speak out what was on our minds. He used the fine art of debate to hone
our skills, often taking the opposite side of an issue just to see if your
reasoning was sound. As a teen, I was often angry and dismayed that he could
have certain opinions of the issues of the day. But when I got older, I
understood that he didn’t necessarly feel that
way, but wanted me to think about the reasons I felt the way I did.
These days in Philadelphia, I am heartened by the parents
and students protesting against the draconian cuts in funding for education in
Pennsylvania, espcially in Philadelphia.
Our union, the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers (PFT) has always been
vocal in their displeasure of the corporate reform takeover of the city
schools, but until recently most members just stayed quiet about it. Now we
have weekly rolling protests at city schools where we hand out pamphlets and do
informational picketing.
Since the School Reform Commission (SRC) took over the
school district as a way to save money and supposedly raise test scores, I have
watched parents such as Helen Gym start to organize and question the motives of
the state-appointed board. She has empowered and mobilized a much-needed ally for
us teachers. Helen is respected city-wide and like EF Hutton, when she talks,
people listen. Diane Ravitch had chosen her to participate in the debate that
Michele Rhee eventually cancelled. So, Helen is not only a familiar voice in
Philadelphia, she is known nationally. Helen has organized parents to fight for
the public schools herein the organization, Parents United for Public
Education. Her organization keeps the community up-to-date on major issues in
education and she is not afraid to call out the SRC, the PFT, the Mayor, or the
Governor if she feels they are wrong. Her vocal protests have indeed turned the
tide of apathy where the parents are concerned.
The high school students have also formed an organization
to make sure their voices are heard. The Philadelphia Student Union has been
present in large numbers at the marches held downtown to protest the closure
of schools and the decimation of the school district’s budget. On January 17th,
the Governor was scheduled to address the student body at Central High School
and honor Central, Masterman, and Carver high schools for their excellent
performance on the PSSA. Parents, teachers and students planned a demonstration
at the school when Corbett arrived to let him know that we need a fair and
equitable system of school funding, something we don’t have now. The Governor
decided not to give the schools their state certificates because of the
protests and instead went to his center city office. A large group of parent
and union members along with some students, followed him downtown and made sure
they brought the protest to him.
This was the TV coverage about the incident.
We need more people to tell the SRC that we are sick of
the closures, charter school fraud, and lack of funds. We need to keep these
issues in front of the public in order to make that change. We cannot “accept
evil without protesting against it” or we will be in bad straits.
Power to the People!
Still learning!
No comments:
Post a Comment